Late model vehicles can be complex, especially in relation to power door locks. Whether your car has a keypad, keyless entry system, or conventional power locks, locks can fail. And when they do, they can either leave you locked out of your vehicle, or unable to lock your vehicle altogether. The increasing number of vehicles on the road today in Lee County, Florida that have central computers and power windows and locks has forced drivers to hire professional mechanics for repairs, rather than do it themselves. So, what exactly happens when your vehicle power lock unlock?
The average vehicle is locked and unlocked tens of thousands of times over the life of the vehicle. The mechanism, the actuator, that is responsible for this constant locking and unlocking is designed to be reliable. Many newer cars have four or five different ways to lock the doors and the car must keep track of the multiple signals that communicate that the car should be locked or unlocked.
- With a physical key
- Pressing the unlock button within the vehicle
- Using a combination kaypad on the exterior of the door
- Pulling up the lock knob inside the car
- Using a keyless entry remote
- Control center signal
Locking and Unlocking
In some model cars, the lock/unlock switch transfers power to the actuators and the door unlocks. In more complex power lock systems, the body controller dictates the locking and unlocking. The body controller is essentially your car’s computer and it is in charge of many electrical functions within your vehicle. The body controller reads lock/unlocks commands from all signal sources whether they come from a radio frequency, digital code, or radio transmitter from your key fob.
What Happens Inside the Car Door?
A power door lock actuator is typically positioned somewhere below the latch. A connecting rod attaches to the actuator and another one connects the latch to the manual knob that sticks out the top of the door. The mechanism allows for the rods to work in conjunction to power the actuator. Within the actuator, a tiny electrical motor turns a series of gears that drive a rack and pinion gear set that attaches to the actuator rod. The rotational motion of the motor is converted into linear motion, and the lock is opened. A centrifugal clutch prevents the process from happening in reverse. The bottom line is that your vehicle’s power door locks have many moving parts and a lot can go wrong.
Everyone wants the latest car with all of the features, but, the more features the vehicle has, the more that will be in need of repair. Repairs at your local Fort Myers or Naples dealership can be expensive and time consuming. Relying on the fast, reliable, mobile power lock repair team at Surpass Power Window and Locks is the ideal solution for car power locks in need of repair. Contact us today.
